Chersotis rectangula

Chersotis rectangula is a moth of the family Noctuidae.^[1] It is the type species of the genus Chersotis.

Chersotis rectangula
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Lepidoptera
Superfamily:	Noctuoidea
Family:	Noctuidae
Genus:	Chersotis
Species:	C. rectangula
Binomial name
Chersotis rectangula (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775)
Synonyms
Noctua rectangula Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775 Agrotis rectangula Agrotis multangula var. subrectangula Staudinger, 1871

Description

Chersotis rectangula has a wingspan of 29–37 mm. These moths are generally greyish-brown, with not conspicuous dark markings.^[2]

Biology

Adults are found from late June to mid-September. Larvae are polyphagous and feed on various herbaceous plants, especially on Melilotus species and Vicia species.^[2]

Distribution

This species is present in the southern part of central Europe (Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria, Italy, Greece, Romania and Hungary), in SW Siberia, Altai, Turkmenistan, Caucasus, Armenia, Turkey and in NW Iran.^[2][3][4]

Habitat

Chersotis rectangula live in bushy areas and in rocky grasslands, mainly in the subalpine habitats, at an elevation of 600–2,400 metres (2,000–7,900 ft) above sea level.^[2]

Subspecies

• ''Chersotis rectangula rectangula
• ''Chersotis rectangula subrectangula (Staudinger, 1871) (Turkey)

Bibliography

• Erstbeschreibung: (1775): Ankündung eines systematischen Werkes von den Schmetterlingen der Wienergegend herausgegeben von einigen Lehrern am k. k. Theresianum. 1–323, pl. I a+b, Frontispiz. Wien (Augustin Bernardi).
• Sviridov, A. V., Noctuid moths (Lepidoptera) new for different areas of the Russian Federation, 1. 2002